Trapped-ion probing of light-induced charging effects on dielectrics

We use a string of confined (40)Ca(+) ions to measure perturbations to a trapping potential which are caused by the light-induced charging of an antireflection-coated window and of insulating patches on the ion-trap electrodes. The electric fields induced at the ions' position are characterized as a function of distance to the dielectric and as a function of the incident optical power and wavelength. The measurement of the ion-string position is sensitive to as few as 40 elementary charges per root Hz on the dielectric at distances of the order of millimetres, and perturbations are observed for illuminations with light of wavelengths as large as 729 nm. This has important implications for the future of miniaturized ion-trap experiments, notably with regard to the choice of electrode material and the optics that must be integrated in the vicinity of the ion. The method presented here can be readily applied to the investigation of charging effects beyond the context of ion-trap experiments.